Steelers’ Kazee suspended rest of season for hit

PITTSBURGH — After an ejection for a hard hit on Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on Saturday, Steelers safety Damontae Kazee has been suspended for the final three games of the regular season without pay for repeated violation of rules meant to protect the health and safety of players, the NFL announced Monday.

The suspension also includes any potential playoff games.

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension for a violation of the rule that states it’s a foul if a player “forcibly hits the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, face mask, forearm or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck, and regardless of whether the defenseless player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him.”

In a letter to Kazee, Runyan said the Steelers safety had an “unobstructed path” to Pittman and that “illegal contact could have been avoided.”

“With 8:49 remaining in the 2nd quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers a serious violation of the playing rules,” Runyan wrote. “The video of the play shows that you delivered a forcible blow to the head/neck area of Colts’ receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was in a defenseless posture. You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided. Your actions were flagrant, and as a result, you were disqualified from the game.”

Coach Mike Tomlin said after the game the ejection came from “New York,” and Monday, Tomlin said Kazee isn’t “a dirty player.”

“Usually I talk about lowering the target,” Tomlin said when asked about coaching points he gives his safeties. “The target was low and both guys were going. It was just unfortunate. I know he is not a dirty player. He doesn’t aspire to do some of the things that came to light under those circumstances.

“Sometimes it’s just professional football today, and how difficult it is to operate, but the National Football League is really clear, man. They put a hundred percent of the onus on the defender in those circumstances. It’s unfortunate, but we understand it.”

Kazee has been previously fined five times for various unnecessary roughness violations for a total of $59,030 this season.

Runyan’s letter also notes Kazee’s status as a repeat offender as a contributing factor to the suspension, which will cost him roughly $208,000 in salary.

“When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player, it is appropriate to impose substantially greater penalties,” Runyan wrote.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, Kazee is allowed to appeal the suspension. If he does, either Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, the hearing officers jointly appointed by the NFL and the players’ association, would hear the appeal.

Pittman entered the concussion protocol after the hit and did not return to the game.

The Steelers lost safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to a knee injury the next play, and he has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.